Rhonda Abrams column: Keep accidents from wrecking your livelihood

I wish I could say I had been skydiving, snowboarding or surfing, but I simply tripped in a parking lot when I wasn't looking. Suddenly, I had a broken wrist - the right wrist, the one I write with - the one I run my small business with.

This kind of accident could happen to anyone, at any time, including a small-business owner or entrepreneur. Though I'll be out for a while, I still have deadlines: this weekly column, new books, newsletters, client projects.

But broken bones or not, the show - and my business - must go on.

In a small business, every person counts. Each person wears multiple hats and is essential to a company's daily operations.

But something can happen to anyone, and it has the potential to turn things upside down: an accident, an illness, a family crisis that takes a person away from the office.

So how do you ensure that your small business continues to operate when a key employee - or the boss - is suddenly out of commission? As with many aspects of running a business, you need to plan:

? Cross train. We recently began to do this in my small company.

We realized at least two people should know how to do each job. If the person who usually takes and fulfills book orders doesn't appear one morning, another employee can tackle that task.

? Develop an operations manual. This doesn't have to be as intimidating as the term implies.

Ask each employee to type up in detail the steps for each task, print the information and place it in a binder. Have the person take screen shots and print these, too.

Why keep this information in a binder and not on the company server? It's easier for a last-minute replacement to find.

? Move to the cloud. Fortunately, we moved our data and most business applications to the cloud in 2012, so I can access that critical information from anywhere, even the hospital or my home while I'm recuperating.

I can use any device with online access such as my iPad, which is easier to use than my laptop with the cast I'm going to have to wear for six weeks.

? Adopt new technologies. Since I can't type, I'm learning to use voice-recognition software, and I've become much better friends with Siri for sending emails and dialing phone numbers.

? Protect passwords. If your top-selling salesperson suddenly can't come in, do you know how to log in to your company customer management relationship application so you can contact customers?

It's critical that you have access to the passwords for any applications your employees use. For all of your technology, online accounts, banking and so on, keep an up-to-date list of passwords in a lawyer's or trusted family member's safe.

? Make it accessible. Someone extremely trustworthy should have a copy of the key to your building, office or safe. The office manager likely would keep this, or a spouse or lawyer may have a copy of these keys.

? Hire great people. The great staff I work with make things a lot easier.

My assistant can take over much of my routine email and run errands. And I'll be working a lot more with a writer/editor I've collaborated with for years.

Sole proprietors face particular challenges because they don't have any staff to turn to.

If you run a business alone, develop a relationship with one or two other sole proprietors in your industry who can assist you professionally in a pinch - whether because of illness or just a big project that's more than you can handle. You also can turn to services such as Elance or oDesk to find freelancers to help you finish a project, or TaskRabbit for any kind of short-term assistance, even running an errand.

If you do find yourself suddenly out of commission, to keep your company running smoothly you may need more help in your personal life.

If you have kids, get more help with child care. Order dinner in. Hire a house cleaner. Pay the kid next door to walk the dog.

Save your energy for your business.

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Rhonda Abrams column: Keep accidents from wrecking your livelihood

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